Obituaries

John E. Depke

John Edwin Depke, 44, died April 21 in Princeton after a ten-month battle against cancer.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he was the son of the late John Depke, a well-known investigative reporter with The Cleveland Plain Dealer, and Nancy Depke, a reporter, columnist, consultant, and travel writer.

With his wife, Deirdre, he lived in New York City where he was one of the youngest attorneys ever to make partner at the international law firm of DLA Piper. The couple also maintained a home in East Hampton, N.Y.

After graduating with a business degree from Miami University of Ohio, he worked as an investigator at the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, where he was inspired to earn a law degree from Chicagos DePaul University. He began his legal career at Fulbright & Jaworski and then moved on to DLA Piper. He had a sharp legal mind that was sought after by venture capitalists and corporate clients, particularly those pursuing mergers and acquisitions. Opponents could easily underestimate him because of his boyish good-looks, easy charm, and complete lack of pretense. For many that was a mistake after they found themselves undone by his powerful intellect and dogged work ethic.

Although he moved seamlessly through the legal and business worlds, he remained something of an anomaly: he was a successful corporate attorney who loved nothing more than hauling brush in his red Chevy pickup truck. He never lost his sense of justice for the poor and the unfortunate. And while no one would ever call him a bleeding-heart liberal  or a bleeding-heart anything  he was a lifelong Democrat who loved a rousing political debate, especially with a slower-witted Republican on the other side.

Even as he weakened, he maintained the dry but infectious sense of humor that delighted his family and friends. He was not a back-slapper or country club type; his love of sports and the outdoors exhibited itself in more solitary pursuits like running, swimming, and bodysurfing. He especially liked the challenging surf off the beaches of Napeague in Amagansett, Long Island.

While not a joiner or a social climber, he liked nothing better than a few beers with his wife, his buddies, or sisters at an Irish pub while watching the Yankees. If you were fortunate enough to be his relative or friend, you had a ferocious ally against the vicissitudes of life. From his sick bed, he worried about the solidity of an aging friends health-care coverage.

He traveled widely through Europe, Asia, and Latin America, generally with a pack strapped to his back, eschewing pricey hotels for modest accommodations that put him in touch with everyday people. He loved the history and literature that fed his curious mind  but also liked to while away an evening watching a Rambo movie marathon. He also had the junk-food palate of a teenage boy, and his family found endless amusement in his continuous yen for bacon-egg-and-cheese sandwiches and Oreo cookies.

The hole he has left in the hearts of his family and friends will not be repaired easily. If nothing else, he was an optimist and a fighter, and these qualities live on in those he has left behind.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his mother, Nancy; and three sisters, Deidre Depke, Marianne McComb, and Meighan Depke.

A memorial mass was celebrated at St. Patricks Cathedral in New York City on April 26. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Melanoma Research Foundation.

Theresa M. Auletta

Theresa M. Auletta, 95, of East Windsor, died April 21 at Gardens At Monroe.

Born in Trenton, she resided in Princeton from 1947 until her move to East Windsor in 1971.

She retired as a statistician in 1983 with over 25 years of service with Opinion Research Corporation, Princeton.

She is survived by her daughter, Teresa Tufano.

A funeral service and burial in the East Windsor Cemetery will be private and under the direction of the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

Geraldine L. Kidd

Geraldine Louise Kidd, widow of Stephen Kidd, of Princeton, died February 25 at Meadow Lakes in Hightstown, N.J.

Born Geraldine Louise Blewett Meyers on March 5, 1922 in Cherokee, Iowa, she was the daughter of Audrey J. Blewett Meyers and Blanche Lathrop. A convert to Roman Catholicism, she was baptized on July 14, 1945, at the age of 23.

She attended college in Memphis, Tenn., and later became a pilot, working for Piper Aircraft Company out of Lock Haven, Pa. She met her future husband, Stephen Kidd. They married on November 14, 1948 and moved to Princeton where Mr. Kidd spent his career as Assistant Director of Princeton Universitys Office for Research and Project Development.

An avid bridge player, she was also active in the University League and the League of Women Voters. She spent her last years at Meadow Lakes in East Windsor, N.J. Her family takes this opportunity to express their sincere thanks to the staff of Meadow Lakes for their competent, patient, and caring work on behalf of Mrs. Kidd.

She is survived by her children, Shirley Spira, Patricia Kidd, Margaret Kidd, Carolyn Kidd, and John Steven Kidd; four grandchildren; and two great grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 30, at 11 a.m. at the Aquinas Institute on the corner of Stockton Street and Library Place, Princeton.

Contributions may be made in her memory to The American Cancer Society at ACS Memorial Processing Center, P.O. Box 7, East Syracuse, N.Y. 13057-0007.

David A. Macleod

David Ainslie Macleod, 59, of Nelson, British Columbia, Canada, died April 22.

Born and raised in Princeton, he was the son of the late Dr. Donald and Norma Macleod. He graduated from Princeton Day School and the University of New Brunswick  Canada. He worked in the Canadian Forestry Industry in Silva Culture until health concerns caused an early retirement.

A successful cruciverbalist, he published four books of Canadian-themed crosswords and had his puzzles published in the New York Times and other national papers.

He was an avid golfer and turned to internet golf, playing international opponents, when he could no longer walk the golf course. He found comfort in the simple things in life, such as his strawberry plants, the sunset, and the beauty of snow. He had an undying love of the mountains.

He is survived by his brother, John Fraser; and his sisters, Anne Macleod Weeks and Leslie Eliner Lamb.

Memorial contributions may be made in his name to The Chewonki Foundation, 485 Chewonki Neck Road, Wiscasset, Maine 04578, c/o Lucy Hull.

Shirley Rennie

The Memorial Service for Shirley Rennie will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 7, at All Saints Church, Princeton.